Zero tolerance to illegal fires
Emergency services across the Wimmera have strengthened their resolve to protect communities from the threat of fire this summer by adopting a zero-tolerance policy.
Firefighters, police, departmental fire-respondents and municipal councils have joined forces across Country Fire Authority District 17 to stamp out fires caused by illegal activities during official Fire Danger Period and Total Fire Ban days.
CFA District 17 operations manager Craig Brittain said the zero-tolerance move was at the core of the approach.
“This is about taking a whole-ofcommunity common-sense approach and to send a clear message that communities should never accept the actions of people who are negligent and-or complacent about fire danger rules,” he said.
“It is also a strong message that they should also never accept arson.
“The move is not about picking on anyone, be they farmers, campers or people living in urban centres.
“It’s about making our communities safe from fire.
“If we need to prosecute people who do the wrong thing, then so be it – we don’t apologise for that.
“At the end of the day everything is geared to protect people and property from fire.”
CFA, police and other key fire-fighting representatives gathered in Horsham on Friday to emphasise zero-tolerance message.
“We usually have a dangerous fire season every year – a high-risk period – and warnings and education efforts go out every summer. Yet in this highrisk period, that occurs every year, people continue to do silly things,” Mr Brittain said.
“I think it’s more than appropriate that we take this approach and in support of our communities say no way the can people get away with illegally causing a fire or allowing illegal fires to remain alight.
“This is about stamping out activities that put lives at risk.”
Mr Brittain said despite some other CFA regions not having a zero-tolerance plan in place, the same implications often applied across the state.
“The underlying issues are the same,” he said.
Mr Brittain said responding brigades had the ability to determine the cause and origin of a fire.
“If a brigade deemed the fire to be illegal then any person responsible would get a visit from police and are likely to be prosecuted,” he said.
“Of course there will always be accidents or incidents where the result of a fire is out of everyone’s control.
“This is all about mitigating circumstances we can control.”
Mr Brittain stressed there was no excuse for anyone claiming to not understand what was an ‘illegal’ fire during a Fire Danger Period.
“Details are very clear in the ‘Can I or Can’t I?’ brochure, which is readily available at CFA offices or on CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au,” he said.
“It is there for everyone to see. We talk up the risk every year about what people need to consider, yet we still have illegal fires.
“The brochure explains the types of activities that can or cannot be done during the Fire Danger Period and on Total Fire Ban days.”
Victoria Police Horsham Acting Inspector Brendan Broadbent said he was confident the approach, which involved a police response to all fires, would help change culture.
“This is a significant collaborative effort between agencies and a concerted effort by police to attend all fires to investigate whether there is a criminal act involved,” he said.
“It is about people taking care and always being aware of the potential impact a fire might have on neighbours.
“It’s about intervention, changing behaviour, raising awareness and meeting community expectation.
“If the cause of a fire cannot be determined we expect it will remain an open investigation until we can determine a cause.”